


Vanished

by Runnermin323



Category: Timeless (TV 2016)
Genre: lyatt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-09-29 15:05:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17205638
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Runnermin323/pseuds/Runnermin323
Summary: Future Lucy and Wyatt have just appeared and reveal the Time Team need a Pilot to save Rufus.





	1. The Search

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: This is my first ever fan-fiction. I started writing this after the finale (in May)and decided there’s so much I want to do with it that I have to do it in chapters. Thanks for reading!
> 
> ** This is written pre-movie**

Chapter 1

Lucy sat on the couch of the bunker as she watched Wyatt pace back and forth in front of her. She caught herself absentmindedly scratching her head. Her mother’s disapproving tone filled her mind. “Lucy, you’re too intelligent for ridiculous anxiety-driven bad habits.” Carol Preston would clearly never leave her. Connor and Jiya whispered amongst themselves at a table while Flynn sat alone in the corner of the room in a metal chair with his feet propped up on the wall. With one arm in a sling, he held an apple in his functional hand and tossed it into the air over and over again. Catch. Release. Catch. Release. He seemed strangely more anti-social than his normal self. 

Wyatt seemed to grow more impatient as the minutes passed by, “I mean why could they...I..me...well, you know what I mean...Why could they only talk to Christopher?” He threw his arms up in the air and started to walk back to Connor's room where Agent Christopher was meeting alone with the future versions of Lucy and Wyatt. Perhaps, it was all too much that they had lost Rufus only a couple of hours ago but the sight of a battled and fierce version of Lucy and Wyatt appearing did not seem to jolt anyone nearly as much as it should have. Everyone immediately focused on a game plan.

Connor and Jiya had immediately started calculations on how Wyatt and Lucy of the future had traveled back in time to a time they already existed. Scattered papers with formulas and equations covered the table in front of them.

Connor, without his eyes leaving the paper, scolded, “Now, you know exactly why we cannot be in that room, Wyatt.”

Wyatt frustrated and worn ran his hands through his hair and sighed and as he went to walk by Lucy, she reached up hesitantly and gently held out her hand. Her eyes looked up and met his as she watched his shoulders collapse and his hand met hers. Those crisp, blue eyes focused on her own and they communicated as they always had: no words needed. She wondered if he was as curious about the future version of themselves as she was. He must be. That version of Lucy and Wyatt seemed synchronized, tactical, and … well, they seemed like true partners. More surprising, Lucy could not believe the fierce intensity that resonated from another version of herself. She could not help feeling almost proud of who she was to become – a strong, independent soldier who could take care of herself. This was clearly quite the improvement from the Lucy who couldn't even pull the trigger on Emma, her greatest enemy. That Lucy certainly seemed like she had gotten it together. She currently didn’t need an ice pack for her blistering wounds.

Not quite stable and relaxed enough to sit down next to her, Wyatt perched himself on the arm of the couch next to her and looked back to Mason. Without letting go of her shaking hand, Wyatt turned to Mason, “If they are here than they can't be that worried about changing history. And clearly someone figured out that whole traveling to your own timeline thing. Which one of them is piloting that thing?”

For the first time since Lucy and Wyatt of the future arrived insisting that they only speak to Agent Christopher in private, Jiya spoke, “Wyatt, I know you're freaking out. I am freaking out, okay? But, if they are trying to prevent too much from changing than let's trust future hairier you because the only thing that I care about right now is getting Rufus back. Okay?”  
Wyatt winced, “I want to get him back, too.”

The group all fell back into their own grief and wondered to themselves about why a future, upgraded lifeboat had arrived. If there was a way to get Rufus back, Lucy knew it was not going to be easy and that Emma and Jessica were going to try to prevent it from happening every step of the way. Future Lucy and Wyatt looked like they were in the midst of a war themselves. What was going on in their future?

After another half an hour, Agent Christopher appeared in the hallway with the future Lucy and Wyatt following behind. Future Lucy stepped forward, “We can't tell you much except that this is not an easy mission. Agent Christopher has your plans to get Rufus back. Good luck.” She looked at the defeated and swollen version of herself and nodded. Lucy was grateful for that nod because it said so much without saying anything at all. She, herself… understood the brokeness. Future Lucy and Wyatt looked to each other and in that moment, Lucy knew. They were more than just a time-traveling duo. That look was filled with emotion, respect, and almost a deep sadness looking at the broken version of what they once were - killing them to see the younger versions of themselves hurting that much. Without another word but ever so in sync, they walked over to the upgraded Lifeboat, ascended the steps, and stood in the doorway looking down on what once was. Lucy wasn't sure if they intended on it, but she watched the future version of Wyatt gently place his hand around his Lucy as they closed the door. Lucy looked to Wyatt to see if he had noticed and he was already staring back at her as if to say, “See, everything will be alright.”

Before they knew it, the future was gone. Everyone turned to Christopher who was already seated at a table in the common area. Her hands reached up to her forehead as she took a moment to digest whatever she had just planned. Connor interrupted her first, “Bloody hell, Denise. What did they say?”

“Connor, I have to try to figure out what I can actually tell you and what I can't. This time travel shit is getting entirely too complicated. If I tell you too much, than we could potentially alter history too much and miss our chance to get him back. If I tell you too little, than you may not have enough to go off of. Give me a damn minute.” Denise stood up and started pacing as Wyatt had before. As she paced Denise started brainstorming out loud.  
“Okay, Jiya. You're out of these missions...” And before Jiya could even interrupt, “I know you want him back but Lucy and Wyatt...” She looked to the two standing in front of her, “You know what I mean, the other Lucy and Wyatt said it was best for you to be out of the Lifeboat... whatever that means.” Jiya stomped over to the couch and sulked. Tears streamed down her cheeks and Lucy immediately went to sit by her friend. Giving her space, she simply handed her the nearest box of tissues and stayed close to her. Lucy sympathized with Jiya - wanting so badly to get Rufus back herself. 

Flynn spoke up for the first time since the upgraded Lifeboat appearance, “If Jiya is out than who the hell is going to pilot the Lifeboat?” He almost growled. Placing the apple onto a nearby table, he joined the group. 

Denise stopped pacing and looked to Lucy. “We need a new pilot. And all I have is a date. They said it would be only something that you could figure out.”

Connor sighed, “They couldn't bloody just give us the place and person we need?”

“They said it was imperative for Lucy to figure this out on her own.”

Lucy stood, “What's the date?”

Denise looked toward the paper in her hand and read, “February 17, 1931.”

Lucy searched her brain and grasped at images in her head from all of her endless history books. “I..I can't think of anything associated with that date.” She uttered helplessly, nearly in tears. They were all still on edge. Pleading, “You can’t give me anything more than that?”

“No. I was only to give you the date. Let’s start there. Please, everyone start researching so that I can figure out my own game plan.” Christopher marched down the hallway.   
Wyatt turned to Lucy and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. He sunk down so that he was looking directly into her frightened eyes, “You are not alone in this. Just because you’re the professor does not mean you should know this. We will all help.”

Lucy nodded. Jiya walked sullenly over to her desk and began furiously plucking away at the computer while Mason grabbed tablets for Lucy and Wyatt. “Well, future you has faith that you will be able to figure this out. Let’s think pilots. Who in our brilliant history would make an excellent Lifeboat pilot?”

“Well, there’s more to it than that. Think about it. We will have to reveal time travel, Rittenhouse…”

“This precious little bunker…” Flynn quipped looking back and forth between Lucy and Wyatt. 

 

“Luce. One step at a time. Who are history’s best pilots?” Wyatt motioned for Lucy to sit down while side-eyeing Flynn. 

It was Lucy who now started to pace around the room ignoring Wyatt’s request to relax. She started rattling famous pilots off the tip of her tongue, “Well, there’s Lindbergh. But we already have encountered him. And we know he’s full-fledged Rittenhouse. James Doolittle….Robert Hoover...Charles Yeager…I mean there’s decades of great pilots but I guess we will have to figure out who is associated with that date.” 

Connor headed towards Jiya’s station, “We’re on it, Lucy!”

Lucy sunk into the couch and picked up her own laptop from a side table discarding Mason’s tablet on the table in front of her. Flynn walked past them all and mentioned something about researching from his own room. Wyatt sat in the chair closest to Lucy. She noticed that he did not take the empty spot next to her on the couch - the ‘I love you’ uttered from Wyatt just hours before lingering in the air 

After hours of research, Lucy practically threw her laptop onto the table. Mason walked over rubbing his hand on his head as he did when he was nervous. Jiya slouched at her computer refusing to face the team. Wyatt spoke first, “Let’s make some food. If we are going to be up all night at this, we might as well eat.”

Jiya rose and strode past everyone not making eye contact. Lucy could see the tears pooling in her eyes. Fists clenched in anger. Jiya had certainly changed in her three years trapped in the past. Mason raced after her.

Lucy placed her hands to her forehead. She knew that this was supposed to be her thing, her strong point. While pulling rice from the cabinets without even turning to look at her, “I know what you’re doing to yourself and you really need to stop.”

“Wyatt.”

“No.. hear me out, Luce.” He turned to face her. His eyes were gentle, almost pleading. “This is not an average mission where you can spout out facts about a time period. This is Rufus. Everything is on the line…”

“Which makes it worse, Wyatt that I cannot seem to figure out one stupid date.”

“You said it yourself. There’s hundreds of pilots.”

“Why couldn’t she tell me more. She must know how bad I’m hurting right now.”

“You mean… you?” He raised his eyebrows just a little. Without even thinking she smirked in that stupid way she smirked around Wyatt Logan. 

“Wyatt…”

“That Lucy doesn’t put up with past Lucy’s unwillingness to believe in herself.”

“Well, future version of me also looks like I could kick your ass, so…” Wyatt grinned. His cheeks began to flush and she knew he must’ve been thinking about the status of their future selves. It was obvious. Or was it?

“Can’t believe we figured out how to travel to visit.. Us. To save Rufus. I wonder who figured it out.”

“Maybe it was Rufus himself.” 

“And what then he just disappear….” Lucy froze. Wyatt stared at her, confused.

“Disappeared?” And then she watched as it clicked in his head. “Earhart?”

“That date. That date just might be when she..” And she ran over hurriedly to her laptop typing frantically. She started jumping up and down flinging the laptop across the couch as she did. “It is! February 17, 1931 is the date Amelia Earhart married George Putnam.”

Wyatt started running down the hall, “Well, we have to let them know we have our pilot.”

Lucy waited as the team came hustling down the hall. Flynn lingering in the back of the group. Denise patted Lucy on the back, “So, you think our girl is Amelia Earhart?”

“Well, February 17, 1931 is the day that she married George Putnam.”

Connor balked, “I did not know she was ever married.”

“Well, it was very secretive. She literally questioned marrying him up until the very minute she did it. She rejected several of his proposals.” Lucy smirked, “She even wrote out her own version of vows basically saying how reluctant she was to marry him. She was a career woman but loved a man and so she went through with it, rather hesitant at that.” 

Flynn spoke finally from the back of the group, “Well… look at that. A woman who is unsure if she truly loves a man. Perhaps it was because the man would only hold her back?”

It was Wyatt’s reaction that proved to Lucy how broken Wyatt had truly become. She watched as each of her friends looked down at their feet. Broken. Defeated. Every last one of them seemed to be shells of the people they once were. No one even had the energy to verbal banter. Instead of fighting, instead of rage, Wyatt Logan went to go sit on the tiny sofa that held Lucy’s laptop. He picked up the device and began reading the information Lucy left on the screen. Did he have no fight left in him? 

Standing up straighter, raising her eyebrows: “She was afraid of someone else making a decision for her.” 

With that, Jiya asked so quietly it was almost a whisper, “Where? Where do you have to go to get her?” 

“Connecticut.” Wyatt responded, “Noank, Connecticut. Wherever that is.”

“It’s actually a village. It’s in Groton, Connecticut. You know...”

“The Submarine Capital of the World.” Wyatt grinned. He did know his military history. 

“So, that’s it then. Groton, CT! February 1931!” Mason celebrated and was quickly halted by Lucy.

“This is not an easy mission. First of all, this is not some ‘Wedding Crashers’ storyline. The only people present for Amelia’s wedding was George Putnam himself, the judge who married them, George’s mother, and two witnesses. One of them was George’s uncle and the other was a young lawyer. It all happened in Mrs. Putnam’s living room. The press weren’t really onto them either. They gave so little details after that people literally made up their own story about what happened.”

Denise worriedly looked to Connor, “What about the logistics of all this? This is a pilot from the 30’s. I thought it would take a year to teach someone with the knowledge of modern technology?”

“Amelia Earhart was brilliant. She was well read, she almost attended MIT…” Lucy paused thinking of Rufus, “But, more importantly she was adaptable and adventurous.”

Connor put his hand to his chin, “We just had combat future versions of Lucy and Wyatt show up in a far superior model of my very own Lifeboat. If they say that we need ‘Lady Lindy’, I say we get ‘Lady Lindy’!” 

“I’m impressed, Mason.” Lucy smirked.

“You’re not the only one that reads, Taylor Swift.” 

Jiya remained stone-faced throughout most of the conversation. Lucy had seen her wince at the mention of MIT, but she now looked confused, “I take it that I have to pilot the Lifeboat to go get this chick, right?”

Denise nodded. “Yes. You are just not to be apart of the recovery mission. That was a strict directive of Future Lyatt.”

“Lyatt?” Lucy and Wyatt blurted out in unison.

“Yeah, you know… Lucy… Wyatt. Put it together and it’s Lyatt. Don’t they do that with all the TV show couples?”

Everyone smirked but with sad eyes knowing that it was something Rufus would’ve quipped if he were here.


	2. Square House

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucy, Wyatt, Flynn, and Jiya travel to Noank, CT 1931 to catch Amelia Earhart before her secret wedding to George Putnam.

Chapter 2

Lucy wasn’t so sure about Jiya going on this mission watching as she buckled her seatbelt with rage. She appeared to even make Flynn look uneasy which he indicated to Lucy by raising his eyebrows and nudging his head toward Jiya plucking away at buttons forcefully. Lucy shrugged and noticed Wyatt watching her and Flynn out of the corner of her eye. When she turned to face him, he quickly turned away. 

Before she could really question Wyatt’s careful observation, Jiya was piloting them off to Groton, CT 1931. 

When the Lifeboat door opened, the first thing Lucy could smell was the sea. This was much different than the west coast, though. This was salt and fresh air intertwined with stale seaweed and murky waters. And though the smell was pungent and… fishy there was still something nice about it. She could see the others taking it in as well. 

“Well, that’s one way to remind us what we are doing here.” Flynn uttered as he jumped out of the Lifeboat and nearly fell over a headstone. 

“I don’t see you able to fly this thing.” Jiya growled. Lucy was the last to exit and looked out to a cemetery overlooking the Mystic River. Jiya had successfully landed in the rear, wooded area of a cemetery. Jiya wrinkled her nose.

“What’s that smell?”

“The east coast.” Wyatt reported. He looked out to the river. After breathing in the salt water, he turned to Lucy, his blue eyes shining and asked gently, “Where are we?” 

Lucy had never seen Wyatt take in the scenery on a mission before. He was generally straight to business and tactical. Focused. But there was something hypnotizing about this place - even standing right here in the cemetery. The sun was just coming into the sky causing the warm colors to be reflected onto the water like paint cans carrying only the most beautiful oranges, yellows, and reds had been poured lovingly into the water. But it was cold. February in Connecticut. Lucy should’ve known to dress warmer. 

“This has to be the Mystic River.” 

Flynn smirked, “Like the movie?”

“Well, no. I mean I don’t think that movie but Mystic Pizza, yes.” 

Jiya, forgetting her grief momentarily, excitedly questioned, “Like Julia Roberts’ Mystic Pizza?”

“Yes. It doesn’t exist yet but would’ve been near the drawbridge. Mystic is actually not even a real town - it’s a village that is a section of two towns, Groton and Stonington, CT.”

“So, I hate to break up these fun facts of Connecticut and all but do we have a plan here? Or am I literally kidnapping this woman and throwing her in the Lifeboat with us?” Flynn offered as he pulled on leather gloves. He winced slightly as he moved his injured arm. Lucy instinctively moved toward him, “Are you okay?”

Wyatt flinched and started pulling branches over the Lifeboat to hide the front of it from anyone curious enough to venture this far deep into the cemetery. 

“I’m fine. Just a little sore” 

Jiya folded her arms, “Well, as much as I hate to say it but Flynn is right. What are we supposed to do here?”

Lucy sighed and searched her brain for any kind of details she could think of in regards to the brilliant pioneer that Amelia Earhart was. Independent. Dedicated to her work. Explorer. 

“I think we need to tell her the … truth.”

“Jesus, Lucy… come on! What are we supposed to tell 1930’s female pilot that we need her to stop an evil organization and to get my boyfriend back by piloting a goddamn time machine.” Jiya started pacing around the cemetery. As she grunted in disgust, the team could hear a vehicle traveling up the road. Not quite close enough to see them but it was close enough to remind the four of them that they were wearing clothes from 2018. 

Wyatt motioned to follow him, “We can plan after we get some clothes that don’t make us stand out like time traveling rookies from the future.”

The four of them cut through trails along the river. After walking for about ten minutes, Lucy could see a shed up ahead. Wyatt motioned for everyone to file in behind in the rear of the shed. Jiya, shivering, asked Wyatt to get them something warm. After making a plan of distraction and a less-than thrilling game of ding dong ditch on a nearby house, Wyatt and Lucy had returned with four era appropriate outfits until they could acquire better fitting garments. Jiya held up a skirt and stockings while glaring at Lucy. 

Lucy watched on as Flynn adjusted a coat slowly around his injured arm. She wasn’t exactly sure what was going on with Flynn. He clearly wasn’t telling her something from the journal. She was starting to see a different side to him - one that didn’t involve bloodshed and a lack of caring for humanity. On the contrary, Lucy thought it was the opposite. He was a man that once loved so much that when it was brutally taken from him he snapped and only his primal instincts kicked in, He couldn’t bare to care again.Lucy could understand that especially in this moment. 

As they walked on the roadway towards downtown Mystic, Lucy thought of her mother and all that she’d lost. She felt guilty that there was almost a sense of relief. She was relieved her evil mother was dead but gutted at the same time that the woman who had once inspired her had taken everything away. Amy. Her family. History. Maybe even Wyatt. She was so… elated when he had uttered those three words but did he really mean it? After all, he had chosen Jessica. Even after Hollywood. 

“So where exactly is Noank in relation to all of this?” Wyatt asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“It’s another village along the Long Island Sound in Groton, CT.”

“Is it anywhere near the sub base?”

“Not quite. From what I read, Noank is the fancier side of Groton. It’s right on the water with giant beach houses. Though, George Putnam’s mother’s House is apparently pretty plain. I guess the press had a field day with the breaking story of her wedding. They lied and tried to say it took place in mansions or that they had a romantic view of the water when she actually resides in a section that is not on the water. But that’s why we need to get to her before the wedding. As soon as it’s over, she sends a telegram to her sister and the press are swarming all over Mystic to try to find them. Amelia and George are already halfway to New York by then.”

“Do you know exactly what house this thing takes place at because it’s kind of hard to crash a secret wedding.” 

“47 Church Street. They called it the ‘Square House’.” 

Before she could finish, Wyatt had spotted another house along the river with a car. Before she could even mention the fact that they were in an incredibly small mill town where everyone knew one another and their vehicles, Wyatt had driven the car to them in the road. 

The four of them squeezed into the car. Wyatt glared at Flynn as he sat next to him in the passenger seat. 

“You really expect me to fit in the back of this matchbox car?” Flynn sneered as Lucy and Jiya squeezed in the backseat. Lucy crammed next to Jiya recalled the last time she was hidden away in the back of a car and she automatically looked to Wyatt. As if he wa thinking the same, he made eye contact in the rear view. 

They came to the end of the road and looked left to see a monstrous metal structure standing up in the air. “What the hell!” Wyatt leaned forward to see. 

“It’s the drawbridge. It’s still there today. One of the last of its kind. Over there on that street corner is where ‘Mystic Pizza” would be opened in about 40 years.” She caught Jiya smirk. 

As a man went to walk out in front of their car as he they were stopped, Wyatt asked how to get to Noank. After obtaining directions, they were on their way.

As they pulled up to Church Street, she caught sight of the familiar brown bobbed head getting into the passenger seat of a car and Lucy’s heart sank. They had missed her. She already wed George Putnam.


	3. Bed and Breakfast

Chapter 3

“Is that her?” Jiya hissed.

Lucy searched her brain for Amelia’s next move. She remembered the telegram.

“We need for follow the car! She’s going to go send a telegram to her sister telling her that she was just married. Perhaps, we can catch her there.”

Wyatt put the car in gear and followed the couple. Surprisingly, though, the car didn’t head towards town where Amelia could send a telegram. The car turned down a road following the river back to where they had originally landed. Lucy mentally noted the street sign of the appropriately named ‘River Road’.

“Where’s she going, Luce?” Wyatt inquired. At the sound of the nickname, Flynn turned to look at them. First at Lucy’s non-reaction to the nickname and then at Wyatt’s casual nature with her after everything that had happened.

“I don’t know. She’s supposed to send a telegram to her sister. She should’ve headed downtown.”

Before they could contemplate too much, the car slowed and pulled into a driveway of a large white farmhouse-type residence with a big wrap around porch. It was a house that Lucy would’ve loved to live in. Flynn motioned to a sign, “A bed and breakfast doesn’t indicate to me that she is fleeing to New York.”

Wyatt pulled the car over and ducked down in their seats.

“I...I guess those reports were wrong. Maybe while the press looked for her, she hid out here. I mean it’s far enough away from downtown to really find her.”

They watched as a man came out and opened a garage door for George. Amelia hopped out of the car and headed quickly for the bed and breakfast. George pulled the car in, exited the garage, and followed the man inside. Hidden away in a B&B on the Mystic River.

“What’s the plan, ma’am?” Wyatt looked back and met her eyes. She bit her lip.

They couldn’t possibly stroll in and just talk to her in front of George or the owners of the establishment. They would have to talk to her alone somehow. Perhaps, if they pretended to rent a room. But how would they make everyone feel at ease that they wouldn’t leak the information to the press?

“I think I have a plan but we have to do this now. Flynn, I need you to patrol the perimeter. Make sure if she leaves somehow without us noticing that you keep tabs on her.”

“Hi ho hi ho, off to the wooded area I go.”

“Jiya, you’re going to have to hide this car before the owners realize it’s missing and be ready for a getaway if we need one.” With a half-hearted salute, Jiya motioned she understood.

Lucy looked at Wyatt. “We are from Europe. Understood?”

“Sure thing, Mademoiselle.”

And there they were, once again, posing as husband and wife strolling into a bed and breakfast on the Mystic River seeking out Amelia Earhart herself.


	4. The Room

Chapter 4

Lucy stopped short of making her way onto that wrap around porch. She stood in a stone and crushed oyster shell driveway and took everything in. The bed and breakfast was a beautifully crafted two story dream home painted white with green mossy patches from the air. Shutters hugged the big windows but blended in because they were painted the same eggshell white. Any other structure with that much white would be too much but this place… this place just screamed “Welcome!” The deck boards were gray and worn but weren’t detrimental to the look or feel of the place. They showed the love of patrons walking across them daily. They showed the wear of children’s boat shoes scraping across them to get to the river. 

She couldn’t help herself, she looked back to the water and her breath caught. The river shimmered. Glistened. Twinkled. It was all the words you hope to use but never get to. Geese swooped in and landed in the light on the water. Next door to the property was a small marsh where ducks scooted across peacefully and playfully. It was cold but there was something still very special about a New England winter. Especially here on the water. Cool but crisp. Salty but pleasant. Quiet but with serenity.

The trees were bare but plenty of them lined the property. She looked to Wyatt, who was watching her taking it all in. He smirked, “You okay?”

“Yes. Sorry. Let’s do this.”

She stepped onto the porch and as she expected the boards creaked beneath her feet welcoming her to this beautiful house in the 30’s in Connecticut. 

She opened the heavy, wooden door and stepped into a small, quaint lobby. There was a small loveseat placed against the wall and across from them was a beautiful cherry counter lined with ferns and books. The room was decorated with a nautical theme - paintings of whaling ships, ship captains, and the sea. Wyatt peaked around the corner of an archway that appeared to lead into a dining room. 

“Looks like they’re already tucked away…”

“Uh, excuse me? May I help you?” An anxious voice echoed from a staircase that was on the other side of the B&B. Lucy cleared her throat and smiled politely. 

“Bonjour! My husband and I would like a room for our holiday across America. Do you have any rooms available?” 

Wyatt smirked at her poor French accent. She could speak French just fine but her accent was lacking. Lucy gave him THE look to keep quiet and to play along. 

“Oh, you’re not from around these parts?” A short man in his 70’s approached the counter. He walked with a slight limp but seemed spritely regardless. His hair was an ashen white and he wore small round glasses on the end of his nose - the kind Santa Claus would wear in a Christmas movie. He stopped behind the counter and turned to look at them. His eyes immediately went to their clothes. Both of them were wearing clothes entirely too big. Lucy’s skirt was cinched around her waist with a belt and they were wearing spring coats in the crisp air. 

“Pardon our appearance, Monsieur but our bags were stolen at our last hotel! We were planning on doing some shopping here in Connecticut.”

His face dropped, “I am so sorry! I would be happy to recommend some shops and assist you in anyway. We weren’t talking any guests this weekend because of well… we have a bit of a high-profile guest staying but I hate to turn such a nice couple away. I just ask you give our other guests some privacy.”

Wyatt side-eyed Lucy. “Pardon, my husband, Monsieur but he does not speak English very well.” Wyatt gave an awkward smile. “We can assure you it will be as if we were never here. Poof!” Lucy waves her arm awkwardly in the air. She caught Wyatt hiding a laugh with a muffled cough. 

“Excellent. I’m Mr. Wakely, if you need anything. Welcome to the Mystic Bindloss Bed and Breakfast. Let me take you to your room Mr. and Mrs….”

“I am Lady Gaga. This is my husband, Shia LaBeouf.” There was Wyatt’s cough again. 

They ascended the beautiful, polished cherry staircase to a long hallway with a carpeted runner covering wood floors. The hall was wallpapered and covered with more nautical painting. Mr. Wakely opened the first door to the right and gestured for Lucy to enter. 

As she was about to step through she heard a door close down the hall and saw a man wearing dark pants and a green sweater walking towards them. His face indicated he was annoyed. He looked back and forth from Lucy and Wyatt to Mr. Wakely.

“A word, Wakely.”

“Excuse me, folks. I’ll be back to check on you in a bit.”

Lucy waited for them to walk down the stairs and quickly turned to Wyatt. “She’s alone!”

They quickly tiptoed to the end of the hall, turned to the room George Putnam walked out of, looked at one another…. and knocked.


	5. I Wanted To Choose You

Chapter 5

Lucy’s small hand continued to knock gently on the wooden door probably a bit too long. Out of all the people they’ve met through time, Amelia Earhart made her especially nervous. 

It felt like forever but was really only a few seconds before the door opened and Lucy stood across from the Amelia Earhart. She looked exactly like the photographs with the familiar brunette bobbed hair, freckled face, and surprisingly, blue eyes that truly made you stare at them uncomfortably too long. No wonder why the world loved her. She was gorgeous in this adorable likable way. 

Lucy’s mouth was still agape when Amelia smirked and quipped, “Well, are you catching flies with that mourn of yours or are you going to come in?”

Wyatt chuckled. “Ms. Earhart, we work for the government and we have an opportunity that we’d like to present to you privately.”

Lucy cleated her throat. “We told the gentleman downstairs we are foreigners. I assure you we mean no harm and we will not tell the press you’re hiding out here.”

“How’d you know we were hiding out?”

“Well…” Lucy paused. “We tracked that you obtained your marriage license from Judge Anderson. We knew you’d probably marry on Church Street and so…”

“You followed me.”

“Like I said, Ms. Earhart, we work for the government. We do mean you no harm. But when you have the opportunity away from George, we’d like to speak with you privately.” Wyatt inserted. They all turned when they heard George’s voice at the bottom of the stairs. Lucy looked Amelia in the eye and nodded. She nodded back at Lucy surprising her by how calm and collected she was about all of this. 

Lucy and Wyatt made their way back quickly to their room before George made his way up the stairs and down the hallway.

After the door was closed, Lucy stood with her back against the wall as Wyatt sat on the bed with his head in his hands. He let out a sigh mixed with a whimper. Wyatt Logan hardly whimpered.

“Wyatt…” She reached forward with her hand. 

“Did you have to give me the crazy, drunk actor from Transformers as my undercover?”

“Well, I didn’t really think he’d buy that you were Lady Gaga.” Smirking, she sat next to him on the bed.

This was the first time they had been alone since his “I love you.” The words danced in the air between them. Swirled around their heads as they turned to look, but cautiously. 

“I’m sorry, Luce. This is all my fault. We wouldn’t be here…”

“What, talking with the infamous Amelia Earhart…”

“Without Rufus.”

Silence. 

She slowly reached her hand forward and took his hand. As their fingers intertwined and she felt all of the familiar but still electrifying intensity that she felt every time they touched, there was a knock on the door. They jumped apart instinctively as of their romance was still forbidden. Wyatt rolled his eyes and Lucy wondered if they ever could truly get past all of it. Jessica. He chose Jessica. How could he possibly love her as much as she loved him. 

“Lady… um.. and sir?”

Wyatt opened the door to Mr. Wakely holding a small piece of paper. 

“Here’s the address for one of the best shops in Mystic. I’ve called ahead and explained your situation and they’d be happy to get some clothes for you all ready and tailored today.” Then, as if he remembered Shia LaBeouf didn’t speak English he looked at Lucy who crossed the room and gladly accepted the address. 

“Much thanks, Monsieur!”

“Can I send a car for you, ma’am?” Wyatt looked at her with his knee buckling half smile that she loved so much. Ma’am was his word. Would always be his word. 

“No, Monsieur, thank you. We would just like to rest a bit and then we’ll head over.”

“Of course.” And he closed the door behind him. 

“Your makeup is starting to fade. He probably thinks I beat you.”

Lucy reached up and touched her lip and forehead. 

“I forgot about the cuts. My face must still be numb.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t protect you.” He held her gaze. He looked as pained as he was in the Alamo. 

“Wyatt..”

“Lucy, I let you down. I don’t think you realize how angry I am with myself. For losing Rufus, yes but look at your face… and you got stabbed in Salem. Do you know..” his voice cracked. “But, Flynn was there for you. The guy that nearly killed us before we got locked up in the bunker. The guy who started this mess is the one who was there for you.”

“Flynn apparently didn’t start this mess, Wyatt. I did.”

“What do you mean?”

“He told me that I gave him the journal.”

He went to the window and looked out. 

“Do you think he knows… everything? Do you think he knows if Jessica is actually pregnant?”

“So, you believe him?”

“Of everything I’ve learned about the guy… I don’t think he’s some random psychopath that started all of this for no reason. And if there’s anyone that could convince anyone to do anything…. it’s you.”

“Please, don’t say that, Wyatt. I don’t want to be responsible for all of… well, this.” 

“You’re strong enough to do all of this. Despite the risks. Despite losing your sister. Despite reliving painful...circumstances. Besides…. Flynn’s in love with you. You know that, right?”

“That’s not true. He did all of this to get his family back. That includes his wife.”

Wyatt turned from the window and looked at Lucy who had settled on the lone bed in the room. She could tell he was no longer thinking of Flynn.

“I wanted to choose you. And I know she may be pregnant and I am literally kicking myself every single second of the day for…. I was just trying to do the right thing, Lucy.” As he reached his hand out, the door flew open and Amelia Earhart stood smirking at them in the doorway.

“Don’t you two know it’s never practical to mix business with pleasure?”


	6. To The Sky

Chapter 6

“Well, we don’t have much time, lovebirds. George ran to town really quick to send a telegram to my sis. He’ll be back shortly. ” She closed the door behind her and folded her arms. She raised one eyebrow inquisitively. Lucy already admired her spitfire and sass. She knew now why Future Lucy had wanted her and entrusted the fate of Rufus with her.

They glanced at one another. Funny but not because the last time they had heard someone refer to them as “lovebirds” was in Hollywoodland. It was always the brilliant women that picked up on their spark: Hedy, Grace, and now Amelia. Women always being much more intuitive.

“Well..” Wyatt began but Lucy cut him off. This needed to be advertised just right to her. It had to interest her, excite her, and fulfill her professional goals.

“Amelia, this is a job for an innovative pilot. It’s challenging. It’s literally a mission that only a few have qualified for.” Lucy could see the shift in her body. Eagerness.

“And it’s absolutely top secret. In fact, once… well, if you accept the mission… we are going to need you to…”

And then it dawned on Lucy. And she looked at Wyatt and she whispered so softly that Wyatt leaned forward, “Disappear.”

And when it registered to Wyatt what Lucy had discovered he placed his hands to his hair and brushed his fingers through.

“It’s not possible.”

“Could we clue me in here? And by the way there’s no way in Hell you two are secret agents or something so how about you tell me the truth.”

Lucy took a deep breath. She needed to give her last sales pitch here.

“Amelia, we really do work for the government. But I clearly am no stealth secret agent. I’m actually a former teacher and I’m a historian. And the only reason I’m here is to get someone on our team that is capable and skilled. But brave. This is something that will blow your mind if you’re willing but you have to be willing.”

“And what’s the mission here?”

Wyatt stepped in and looked at her with those stunning blue eyes, “Ms. Earhart, we need to save our friend. It’s my fault he’s gone and we need him to get rid of the enemy.”

“The enemy? Is this some kind of military operation here because I’ve turned plenty of those offers down.”

Lucy stopped.

“You have?”

Amelia relaxed a little and crossed the room. She stared out onto the street below.

“The United States government tried to recruit me for several missions but wouldn’t give me the credit.”

Wyatt and Lucy looked down knowing full well she would never earn credit for flying the Lifeboat either.

Lucy joined her at the window and looked out.

“Trust me, I completely understand. I have lived my entire life in the shadows of my mother. I always thought she was brilliant and I idolized her because she had made a name for herself despite the gender boundaries in education.”

She could sense Amelia’s eyes on her.

“And I did endless amounts of research and yet when my mother and I wrote books together… it was as if she made it seem that she was doing me some sort of favor by putting my name on those books. Like I hadn’t earned it. Though, I had thought in a lot of those instances, I had done more work. Put in more hours. I was the one who was doing her a favor by adding her name.”

Lucy paused and let out a slight laugh. Amelia turned back to the window.

“And that was just my mother. You don’t even want to know the things that male colleagues have done to me to screw me over.”

And she laughed. In a laugh that you would expect someone like Amelia Earhart to have. It was light but boastful and warm. 

“Screw you over? That’s quite the phrase.” And after another boast, “I like it.”

For a moment, they both stood looking out the window forgetting Wyatt was still in the room. As if he could sense the moment of female solidarity, he mumbled something under his breath about going to check if George was anywhere nearby.

“So, what’s the deal with you and that one? Has he screwed you over?”

Lucy narrowed her eyes across the street to a small mill. A billowing stream flowed from every direction around it and she loved every little waterfall that seemed to appear out of nowhere. There was something peaceful about the water running over the rocks.

“No. He hasn’t. He always tries his best to do the right thing. I’ve actually never met anyone so loyal.”

“That’s rare, you know: loyalty.”

Lucy paused, “I know.”

“So, you told me about your mother because you wanted to tell me that I would not get credit for this little mission of yours. You know, I don’t do it all for the fame.”

“Oh, I didn’t mean to make it sound that way. I know you’re brilliant.” Suddenly realizing how cryptic that sounded, she added: “I mean, you must be in order to do all of this.” Lucy pointed to the sky.

Amelia crossed the room to the bed and sat down. Lucy could physically see her reservations melting away a bit. Her shoulders relaxed and she sighed a big, heavy, convoluted sigh. It was always comforting to lean on another woman. Women always seemed to understand all of that best. Patriarchy. Sexism. Being doubted just because of this or that. 

“Being in the air… racing through the stars. There’s nothing like it.”

“Amelia, we don’t have a lot of time. Are you interested in our mission?”

“Well, you seem to know quite a few things about me.. Including my eagerness to break barriers and go on adventures. I do love a good adventure.”

Lucy smirked at her. She was speaking to the woman that so many young girls learned about in school and admired. A woman, that she herself (as a young girl) had dreamed of growing up to be half the trailblazer she ever was. The woman that people dedicated their lives to learning and figuring out her fate. Here she was. Standing in front of her with a fresh, freckled face. Very much alive. Very much a presence. 

“This is no ordinary mission. This is about something bigger than all of us.”

Amelia looked outside again. To the sky.

“I’m in.”

They both sighed. Together. As a team. As strong women often do to get through. 

“Here’s where you’ll see us next…”


	7. A Spin Around the World

Chapter 7

“Why did we decide to arrive here so early again?” Jiya whined.

Wyatt was building a tent while Lucy and Jiya sat around a fire. It was 3:00 in the morning and Jiya did not hold back her irritations with arriving in New Guinea the night before Amelia was supposed to arrive.

“Jiya… you know why we arrived early.” Wyatt was starting to lose his patience with Jiya’s moodiness. Yet, he would eventually catch himself and summon up some patience. She was grieving. They were all grieving.

“Wyatt, is it built enough so she can get some rest? It’s not like it’s frigid out here.” It certainly was not cold. In fact, the humidity was stifling. The fire was only built really so that Wyatt could see enough to pitch the tent.

“Yeah, it’s done. Jiya go get some rest. I’ll be lookout till morning.”

“Fine. This pilot that is not needed will be sleeping miserably on some weird sketchy island.”

Jiya crawled into the tent and disappeared. Wyatt sat down next to Lucy but on a separate log. Close but with a very clear distance between them.

“You can go get some rest. I’ll be fine out here.” Wyatt said so softly and… gently, Lucy almost didn’t hear him.

“I don’t know if I could sleep if I wanted to. I’m a bit nervous for morning.”

“Are you afraid Emma will actually show up?”  
No mention of Jessica. Was it because Wyatt was hesitant to bring her up because of the pain that it caused him or was he trying to protect Lucy?

Lucy sighed, “I am afraid they’ve caught onto our plan. But, logistically there’s a lot that could go wrong. I mean we don’t even know if Fred Noonan is going to go go this.”

The plan had been made that day with Amelia. She was told that one day she would make a historic flight. When Lucy and Wyatt showed up to get her, she knew it would be the flight she would disappear from.

It was strange telling someone their fate. How do you tell the most famous female pilot in the world - throughout history - that she would ultimately become one of the greatest unsolved mysteries. That she would be declared dead because her body, Noonan’s body, her plane never turned up. Not even a shred of evidence.

When Lucy had told her that she would go on a flight that caused her to practically vanish into thin air, it almost appeared as if it didn’t surprise Amelia. Amelia had immediately caught onto Lucy’s hesitation.

“Miss Preston was it? A girl like me doesn’t go on adventures being naive to the risks. I do it because I know there’s risks but the gain, the reward is worth it. I’m not surprised I disappear. I only hope it’s after I make a good spin around the world first.”

Lucy refused to tell her anymore. She couldn’t for the risk that it would somehow jeopardize the future but she also couldn’t stand breaking the news to a pioneer in aviation that she perished so soon in her trip.

“Lucy… you okay?” Wyatt brought her back to the present. A sleeping, pained Jiya sleeping restlessly in a tent behind them while they sat by one another around a crackling fire. It made her think back to the fireplace in Hedy’s pool house and Lucy blushed.

“Yeah. Yeah, I was just thinking of all of the logistics.”

“How are you doing, Lucy? How are you dealing with all of this? Rufus...your mother..” Wyatt’s eyes held her own for a long time. She could feel how much he wanted to comfort her with just his eyes alone but there was still so much between them. Jessica was still between them.

“I guess I’m just… well, I don’t really know what I believe in anymore.”

“Leaving it up to fate?” Wyatt smirked. Lucy couldn’t help but slowly curl her lip. She thought back to when there was just simply possibilities between them.

“You know, Lucy, there’s some things that I never told you.”  
Her eyebrow lifted and she turned to face him completely.

While having her attention, Wyatt sighed. He stared deeply into the fire. “I don’t like having things… I don’t like keeping things from you. I’m not trying to tell you this stuff to win you back or prove anything to you. I just.. I just think you should know. I’ve always... “ 

“Wyatt. It’s okay. Just tell me.”

And at the sound of her voice. Her compassion through all of this, through all of the terrible things he had done to her, Wyatt continued: “When you were with your mother… when they had kidnapped you.. Well, everyone thought you were dead, Lucy. Agent Christopher put an armed guard on the outside of the bunker to keep me in because I was trying everything to get to you. I just knew you were alive out there.”

Lucy had held her breath as he told the story. She thought back to their hug. That beautiful moment between them. You’re alive. You’re Alive! She thought they were dead. All that time, he had held onto hope that she was out there somewhere.

Scratching the back of his head embarrassed, “I tried to use a blowtorch on the steel door to get out.”

At that, Lucy laughed out loud and stifled herself as to not wake up Jiya.

“You’re such a reckless hothead.”

Wyatt smirked but Lucy noticed that the smirk quickly faded. She watched his focus turn to the fire again. “What is it, Wyatt? What else?”

“Your mother.”

Lucy stared at him, “What about her?”

“I disobeyed Christopher’s orders to take her out when I raided Rittenhouse headquarters. I was ordered to kill her and I…”

“You couldn’t do it.” Her mind racing, “But, why?”

“Because I couldn’t come back and tell you that I killed your mom, Luce.”

Just like that, Lucy understood that Wyatt Logan had really loved Lucy all that time but was just trying to do the right thing by his wife. Wyatt looked sternly at the fire. Lucy could see the pain of everything he had been through. As she reached out for this hand, there was an explosion behind them and without looking back, Lucy knew that Emma and Jessica were already trying to ruin their mission to retrieve Amelia Earhart as the pilot to save Rufus.


	8. The Explosion

Chapter 8

 

Branches hit their faces. Lucy constantly tripped over brush. Wyatt constantly picked Lucy and Jiya up off of the ground. They were trying to get closer to the smoke billowing in the air. They had to get to Amelia before Emma and Jessica did. 

 

Jiya screamed, “Wasn’t she supposed to land in the morning?”

 

Lucy answered breathlessly, “Amelia and Fred didn’t land till morning, June 29, 1937. 21 days after they left Miami. This was the last place they were seen alive. She was supposed to have this little photo op with the manager of Guinea Airways and his wife in front of her plane.” 

 

“What happened? Why are they here so early?”

 

And as they finally made it close enough to see, Lucy screamed. The entire Lockheed plane that Amelia Earhart attempted to fly around the world in was completely engulfed in flames. Wyatt and Jiya stood with their mouths agape. 

 

Lucy couldn’t stop babbling. “But… how… how did they… Amelia… how did they do this….”

 

Wyatt finally put his hand gently around Lucy’s waist and pulled her into him. Before she could even protest, she felt her body relax into him. Maybe she hadn’t lost him. But they had lost their only hope of saving Rufus. That brave woman that only wanted to be a pioneer in aviation who was willing to take a leap of faith on a couple of ordinary people who knocked on her door with a crazy proposal of saving the world. 

 

Lucy had often thought back to the moment she was originally brought to Mason Industries. When she had been shown the time machine and told about time travel, she had stormed out of the building immediately. Denise had to coax Lucy back into the building with a threat that history could be changed, altered, and ruined. Amelia had been given the vaguest of promises and innuendos and was still willing and eager for adventure. At hearing that she could save the world, she agreed wholeheartedly and agreed to go with the team in an unforeseeable future. Lucy couldn’t even fathom the idea of being that courageous. 

 

“Well, aren’t you two just picking up where you left off. I told you that you were a no-good, cheating husband.” 

 

The team quickly turned around to see Jessica pointing a gun at them.  Dressed in her usual tank top and jeans, she looked exactly the same as she had. Even in the midsection. Wyatt attempted to reach for his holster but she immediately reacted by pointing hers directly at Lucy. 

 

“Tisk, tisk, Hubby. You even reach for that weapon and I’ll destroy her. Just like you did to our marriage.”

 

“What did you do to her plane?” Lucy spit out.

 

“Hey now, teacher, I wouldn’t have had to shoot down the plane if you didn’t try to abduct her from history.”

 

Jiya hissed, “How did you even know we were here?”

 

“Emma watches everything. She’s smarter than all of you, misfits combined.” 

 

Wyatt retreated and held up his hands, “Jessica, why are you doing this? How are you even defending these people if you’re carrying our…”

 

“Your baby? For someone who is so concerned about your child you sure have moved on fast. Shacking up with the mistress while…”

 

“That’s enough.” Wyatt hissed. 

 

“Oh. Touchy. Touchy. You’re even defending her now?” 

 

“Because I love her.”

 

Lucy turned to stare at him with her hands still hovering in the air. Tears started welling up in her eyes. 

 

“You what?” Jessica even looked caught off guard. Surprised but definitely not heartbroken.

 

“I love her.”

 

Before anyone else could react, the team saw a large stick swinging mid-air and watched as it struck Jessica on the side of the head. Jessica slumped to the ground. Blood pooling around her. The team stood up and looked past the body and blood.

  
  



	9. Timeless

Chapter 9

Lucy couldn’t help herself. She was leaping over Jessica’s limp body to embrace Amelia. They were practically still strangers but Lucy was so thankful she was alive. Amelia, uncomfortable with the affection, awkwardly leaned into Lucy. 

“Amelia, are you okay? What happened?”

“That redhead shot down my damned plane. Luckily, I was able to crawl out before the explosion. Fred was not so lucky.” She was still dressed in her pilot’s jacket and khaki pants, though everything was damaged with tears and dirt. 

“He didn’t survive the crash?” Lucy inquired.

“No. He took the brunt of the impact.”

Wyatt with weapon drawn noted, “You said the redhead shot you down?”

Amelia pointing over to a clearing past the brush they were standing in, “The redhead shot me down and the blonde appeared shortly after the explosion. I think she was trying to see if both bodies were in there.”

“Well, of course she’s still out there.” Jiya quipped. “What do we do about this one?”

Without hesitation Wyatt stepped in, “I’ll take care of it.”

It. The wife he once stole a time machine for. The wife he almost lost himself over. He grabbed her under the arms and dragged her further into the bushes and discarded her beneath a tree. Before he joined the others, Lucy grabbed his arm.

“I’m so sorry, Wyatt.” She looked up into his pained blue, beautiful eyes. He reached out and squeezed her arm and walked past her to join the rest of the group.

“Wyatt is it?” Amelia approached him.

He nodded sullenly. 

“Look, I don’t know what the situation is here with all of you.” She looked to Wyatt and then Lucy. “That woman was not pregnant.” Wyatt looked back to Lucy with wide eyes.

“After I hid back there behind that patch of trees, the redhead and that woman met over here and discussed their plans for you three. The redhead told her to ‘play up’ the fake pregnancy as much as she could to distract you.”

Wyatt cursed under his breath. 

“You’re here. I am here. Now it’s time to tell me what on earth this is all about.”

Wyatt, Lucy, and Jiya all looked to one another. Lucy stepped forward.

“I think it’s easier to show you. But, first we need to make that plane disappear before anyone else makes it over here and discovers it.”

Jiya threw her hands up. “How on earth are we going to make her whole damn plane disappear, Lucy?”

“I don’t know but we need to recreate what happened. We need to make people believe that she vanished.”

Wyatt spoke gently to her. He was trying his best to not be the reckless hothead that he often was on missions. “Does it really matter, Luce? What’s the difference if the plane is actually found or not?”

Amelia stood with her hands on her hips while three strangers decided her fate around her. “How do you people know all of this?”

Without trying to ignore Amelia completely, Lucy looked Wyatt directly in the eyes, “As a woman who admired this brilliant, strong pilot and her bravery and courage to stand up to all the men around her during her time and get in that very plane anyway and fly up to the stars, it is absolutely vital that we try to preserve this part of history. Part of the spotlight on her story is the mystery revolving her disappearance. It is a part of why people keep looking back to her story and wondering whatever happened to that famous female pilot. It is certainly not the only thing that makes her relevant but it’s what makes her timeless.” 

And in seeing her passion, her intensity, her spitfire… Wyatt Logan was heading back to the LIfeboat to obtain the explosives he had brought on the journey in case something went wrong on this mission.


	10. Anonymous Donor

Chapter 10

“It’s a what?”

Lucy thought back to her first time standing in Mason Industries when the Lifeboat was slowly descended out of the sky like some sort of metal ball from the heavens. Only the Lifeboat and brought her so much pain and she often thought about how it may have been more appropriate for the structure to have been revealed from the bowels of Mason Industries surrounded by flames. 

As Amelia’s facial expressions changed with each passing feeling it was almost amusing to watch. For all of the portrayals in history books of Amelia being antisocial and reserved, she was very transparent. She seemed to wear her feelings on her sleeve whatever they may be. It was very refreshing after all the deception the past few months.

“It’s a time machine, Amelia.”

“A time machine?”

“We are from 2018. Two years ago… well in our time, we began a mission to stop a group called Rittenhouse.”

“Rittenhouse? That’s very strange.”

“Why? Have you heard of them?” Lucy’s eyebrows raised. Jiya got closer and Wyatt started to even hover his hand over his weapon. Was she compromised?

“We had a few anonymous donors for some of my trips. But I heard GP mentioning some group that had apparently funded parts of my flights. It was Rittenhouse.”

“Wait… who’s GP?” Jiya asked.

Without meaning to, Lucy instinctively answered, “George P. Putnam.” Amelia turned to stare at her. 

“I’m sorry, would you like to answer anymore questions for me?” Lucy smirked at Amelia’s sarcasm even when faced with seriously incredulous news like time travel.

“I’m going to guess you’re telling me the truth here since you do seem to know way too much. I mean how would you know what happened to me, if… Well…”

“I’m telling you the truth. And trust me, when we all found out we thought it was crazy and didn’t believe it but it’s true. It’s real. But, Amelia, do you think GP was working for them? Was he working with Rittenhouse?”

“I’m not sure. He handled all of the business stuff and he did sometimes make… questionable deals for funding. Never mind parading me around smiling for all the world to see me look like a damned fool. GP would probably do anything to get the exposure.” Wyatt looked to Lucy questioning all of this new found information. 

She was still circling the steel sphere when they started to hear voices. 

“Looks like we have company. We have to get this out of here.” Jiya yelled. 

Wyatt helped Jiya up first and the turned to Amelia. 

“Ms. Earhart, are you in?”

Without even looking back. Without so much as a hesitation, Amelia took Wyatt’s hand and boosted herself up into the Lifeboat. 

Wyatt and Lucy made their way in after. Wyatt nudged his head to Lucy as Amelia successfully strapped herself into the fourth seat. 

Without really thinking Lucy responded, “Well, I am just a teacher.”

As Jiya started firing up the Lifeboat, Wyatt stared at her and looked into her brown eyes, “You are so much more than just a teacher, ma’am.”

Amelia watched in awe as Jiya brought them successfully back to 2018. 

If she was nauseous from the trip at all, she didn’t dare show it whatsoever. 

Instead when the door opened to the Lifeboat, Lucy, Wyatt, and Jiya exited the ship and turned to look up at Amelia Earhart standing bravely and boldly in the doorway of the Lifeboat in 2018.

Connor blurted, “Bloody Hell, they actually did it.”


	11. Atonement

Chapter 11

The next few days were a blur for everyone. Amelia was borderline in need of medical care for exhaustion from her attempt at a flight around the world. There had been months of prep for the flight, including a failed attempt in March when she nearly crashed the plane upon take off. Then she was at it again in June. 

The team let her sleep, rest, and recuperate as much as possible before they burdened her with anymore new information or trauma. 

Emma and crew didn’t attempt any jumps in the days after the mission forcing the team to think they were mourning the loss of their faithful, brainwashed operative, Jessica. 

Jiya spent her time prepping a flight course for Amelia when she was well enough to begin training. Connor and Denise assisted (and checked on) Jiya as much as they could in the days that followed the recovery mission. She was mourning deeply and they tried to keep her busy. 

Wyatt tried to give Lucy as much space as possible while Lucy tried to let Wyatt mourn the death of Jessica. They were burdened once again with trying to right thing while pushing their feelings to the side. All they wanted to do was be together. Work through it together. Instead, they both tried again to take the high road.

On the third night back from the recovery mission, Lucy found herself in front of the TV alone - again - half watching an Audrey Hepburn. She heard the footsteps behind her and felt that familiar hopeful feeling wanting it so badly for it to be Wyatt. Yet, when she heard the fridge behind her and heard the clinking of the bottles she knew it must be Flynn attempting to cheer her up like he had after Jessica joined the bunker. 

Without even turning her head, she reached out her hand and accepted the beer from Flynn as he slid next to her on the couch.

“So, what happened in 1937 besides bringing back the lady pilot?”

Lucy sighed. She wasn’t sure if she even wanted to get into this right now. But honestly, who else was she going to talk to about it.

“Well, we found out Jessica was never really pregnant but only after Amelia struck her over the head with a huge branch. Wyatt then had to drag the body of the wife that he pined over for six years into some brush and left her dead under a tree.”

Flynn raised his eyebrows and stared at the movie for awhile. 

“You know Wyatt and I are not exactly all brotherly love, bunker buddy, friendly and all that.” 

Lucy smirked.

“But I will say that he was put in a pretty impossible situation.”

Lucy stared at the TV without really watching it. She took a sip of the beer.

“I mean, I understand where he’s coming from having lost my wife and all. And then when you think you’re starting to move past that… well, there’s a lot of guilt in that. It’s not an easy thing to let yourself do.”

Lucy slowly turned her head. 

“I am just saying. I don’t know what I would have done either. If I had the chance to be with you and then Lorena was suddenly there. It’s impossible.”

Flynn refused to make eye contact with her. She knew he was trying to tell her something without telling her something but she didn’t really know how to react to it.

“You know, Lucy, I am sorry for the things I did in the beginning. I think we all have things that we have done during this that we regret but… Well, I more than all of you have the most to atone for. I did a lot of terrible things but I regret putting you in danger the most. You’ve been the only one to really, truly give me a chance.”

Before she could speak, he cut her off, “All I’m saying is that I know Wyatt probably regrets the things he has done, too. And I know you love him. And he’d be stupid not to love you, too.”

With that he took a large gulp of his beer, put it on the table in front of them and walked out cooly leaving Lucy alone with thoughts she refused to have. Until now.


	12. The Club

Chapter 12

As Lucy retreated to her room, she stopped for a second in front of Wyatt’s door and contemplated knocking. What would she even say? What would he think? 

Before she could decide, the alarm went off throughout the bunker. The mothership had jumped. As she stood with her fist balled up as if she was about to knock, the door flew open and Wyatt came barreling through, crashing into her and causing Lucy to fall backwards. Wyatt, stunned, immediately reached down to help her up. He gave her the questioning stare asking only with his eyes and quirked eyebrows if she had been standing outside his door. 

Jiya ran by pulling them out of their moment. With a last glance, they fell in step behind her running to the computers to find out where the mothership had gone. Amelia joined them - hesitant but curious. 

“What’s with the alarms?” She looked around.

Denise took her normal command, “It means that Rittenhouse has jumped to another place in time.”

Amelia had been briefed on the basics of Rittenhouse and their mission since she had joined the bunker. Without wanting to overload her with all of their aims at death and destruction, Agent Christopher and Connor had given her the basics. Jiya had filled her in on some of the missions they had already taken. 

Flynn appeared and blurt out, “Well, where are we going?”

“March 5, 1975. San Mateo, California.”

Lucy groaned, “They wouldn’t.” 

Connor gasped, “No.”

“What is it?” Wyatt finally asked out loud.

“It’s the first meeting of the Homebrew Computer Club which is where Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak were inspired to form Apple. Steve Wozniak literally credits this first meeting with his inspiration to design Apple I, the first Apple computer.” 

Jiya looked pained. “What are they going to do with Steve Jobs?”

Connor started ranting about what damage Rittenhouse could do with sabotaging Apple but Lucy worried that they had done something far worse.

“They could be trying to sabotage Apple… or they could be taking a page out of our playbook.” 

Everyone looked at each other and then looked to Amelia. 

“Do you think they’re trying to get Apple to work for Rittenhouse?” Wyatt asked stepping closer to Lucy. She noticed his closeness to her since her almost knock at his door. 

“If they can insert themselves early enough into their career they may not have to try too hard to convince them to work for Rittenhouse. They could be an early investor or help them. And then Apple, Inc. would literally be Rittenhouse led as well.” 

Denise looked to Flynn, “Are you going to be able to make this trip? Weren’t you born in ‘75?” 

“I was but I was an Autumn baby so I will be gracing the team with my presence on this trip.” 

“Well, have fun in a Silicon Valley that does not know Connor Mason as a joke.” Connor added as he took his seat behind the desk. The team climbed into the Lifeboat and Lucy waved goodbye to Connor, Agent Christopher, and Amelia as Jiya prepared to get them to 1975.


	13. Like Jan

Chapter 13

“So, you want me to do this?” Flynn inquired.

He looked between Lucy and Jiya who were planning this whole thing out loud. Wyatt stood scoping out the area half-listening and half trying to avoid looking at the outfit he was disapprovingly wearing. 

“Well, you’re an ex-NSA agent. I mean, you’re probably way more suited for this than Wyatt.” 

At this, Wyatt looked at Lucy annoyed. She shrugged her shoulders.

“You’re going to dispute that you’re not exactly the tech guy?” She mentioned with raised eyebrows. 

“Well, no but Flynn?’ 

Waving his arms up and down, “I am standing right here. And may I add, am clearly way more comfortable in this attire than you. You look like your outfit is .. painful.” Flynn smirked.

Wyatt rolled his eyes, “No. Bell bottoms aren’t exactly my thing.” Looking at Lucy and Jiya, “And you two look like your pants ate your legs. Whoever thought this was cool?”

Jiya and Lucy did look like extras on The Brady Bunch. With wide bell bottom jeans and wool sweaters, they were putting Marcia and Jan to shame. Well, Lucy thought so.

“Eaten legs or not, Jiya and I cannot go to this meeting. Spoiler alert: women were not exactly welcome at this little tech gathering.”

Flynn crosses his arms. “What exactly do you want me to say to these two anyway? Hey, thanks for my iPhone X, let’s chat?”

“All you have to do is chit chat your way through the meeting and try to get the Steves on your good side. We’ll figure out if Rittenhouse is already involved and make our plans from there.”

Solemnly, Jiya watched as the men started entering the garage where the very first Homebrew Computer Club meeting occurred.“Rufus would’ve loved this.”

And with that, Flynn held his head high and strolled into the garage like the rest of the techies who were all currently being targeted by Rittenhouse.


	14. Targets

Chapter 14

While they waited, Jiya rolled off all the reasons Rufus would’ve loved this mission. Lucy could see how much Wyatt was painfully listening… and regretting. 

Before Lucy could even say anything, Flynn had returned out of breath. 

“I just took out someone working for them but I’m not sure if Emma is here.”

Wyatt started looking around, “How’d you know you they were working for Rittenhouse?”

“Well, the guy about to put a gun in two nerdy looking computer geeks’ back could have possibly set the tone for Rittenhouse stunts.” Flynn bantered with an eye roll and an arm gesture in the air.

Jiya started heading for the street. 

“Well, if you’re out here they don’t have protection from Emma.”

Lucy motioned for Wyatt to follow her. 

“Just stay with her. And don’t let those guys know you two are lingering around.”

Wyatt nodded and ran after Jiya. 

Flynn watched them go.

“What now?”

“We need to find Emma.”

Without even noticing, like a habit, Lucy looked back to where Wyatt had run. She saw that Flynn had noticed and watched smirking but he didn’t dare say a word. They started walking towards a group of cars parked along the sidewalk. Kids ran around them playing baseball on the streets in the crowded residential neighborhood. Cars rode slow and smoothly past them. Dinner time. Mother’s started calling for their kids in the streets. Unsupervised. It definitely was a different time.

As she looked around, Flynn caught her eye. 

“What?”

“Nothing. Raising kids in the present isn’t quite like… this. I never would’ve let Iris play in the street. And then the thing that...”

As he spoke, she saw two men appear from a driveway. She knew he was talking about something painful but the flash of red hair from the other side of the men caught her eye. Lucy pulled Flynn into a yard. They watched from between a bush and a front porch as Emma spoke to them from a few driveways down. 

“That has to be Jobs and Wozniak.” 

“Well, then we need to stop her from doing whatever she is planning to say to persuade them to work for Rittenhouse.” 

Lucy searched around the sidewalk for other Rittenhouse agents and for answers that she didn’t have. If Emma had already compromised Jobs and Wozniak, then Apple could potentially already be Rittenhouse infiltrated in the present.   
As she was about to step out onto the sidewalk, she watched Jobs and Wozniak turn away from Emma and walk toward her on the sidewalk. 

“That lady needs some serious help.” Wozniak turned to Jobs.

Lucy and Flynn peeked down the sidewalk but Emma had already disappeared. Before they were approached or kidnapped by RIttenhouse, Lucy and Flynn fell in step behind the two targets.


	15. Onward

Chapter 15

As they rounded the corner, Flynn spotted them first. There were guns pointed every which way but the most confused of them all were the two Steves who were standing perfectly still and petrified with their hands up. Luckily, Lucy has rambled on and on distracting the two Rittenhouse agents who had confronted them from noticing Wyatt. Without even needing a weapon, he had laid them out and dragged them out of the way leaving Wozniak and Jobs speechless and uneasy.

“What is going on today? And who are you people?”

Lucy stepped forward, “We work for the government. I’m Agent Ellen Degeneres and these are my colleagues. These people are after you two because they are aware of your technological savviness. They want you to work for…”

“Communists.” Wyatt inserted, “They want you to work for our foreign adversaries.”

The Steves looked back and forth between the other. 

Lucy softened her voice, “Just stick to your plans, gentlemen. You’re sure to do great things but stay on the path you’ve been following all along and these people should leave you alone. What did the red-headed lady ask of you?”

“She wanted us to come work for her. Said she was going to take us away somewhere.”

As they stood there, Emma turned the corner and quickly was sprinting through the neighborhood. Flynn and Wyatt eventually chased her back to the Mothership firing rounds as she returned back to the present. Jiya had chatted happily with the two Steves about their love of technology before finally telling them that they should be safe. She hinted they should stick to their meetings with the Homebrew Computer Club. 

When the team returned later to present day, Lucy later sat in the kitchen of the bunker contemplating what Emma had actually wanted with the two Apple founders. As she sipped her tea and searched through Google eagerly, she missed the figure standing in the kitchen.

“Hey.”

As she practically threw her laptop, her tea spilled down her shirt. Luckily, she had been sipping it for some time and it wasn’t too hot. Wyatt ran over to her with paper napkins from the counter to help. 

“I’m sorry, Lucy. I thought you notice me walk in.”

“No. No, Wyatt. I didn’t.”

She dabbed at her neck while Wyatt started trying to push napkins into her shirt. It took her a second of recovery to realize how close he was to her. She started to remember why she had knocked on his door just before this last crazy mission. 

As he held a napkin to her stomach while she sat in the chair, he looked up at her innocently. He was sorry for startling her and soiling a shirt. As her eyes met his, his look changed to curiosity. The blues began to change in his eyes and his eyebrow raised. 

“Why were you outside my door the other night?”

Lucy stood and tossed the napkins into the garbage can. Her shirt was soaked through and she saw that it was clinging to her skin. As she looked up from examining the damage, she caught Wyatt noticing her. He caught her eye and didn’t look away. Lucy looked down at the floor. She was still afraid to take the step forward. She seemed so ready the other night but here he was and yet, all she could do was think of Jessica. 

“I can’t, Wyatt.” 

He slowly stepped forward and put out his hand offering the rest of the napkins to her. His eyes. It absolutely killed her how sad they were. 

“It’s okay, Luce. I’m sorry to have startled you.”

He walked down the hallway and she jumped when she heard his door close behind him. Jessica was gone. She had never been pregnant. She had always been a ploy to get in the middle of them anyway. Flynn had been right. Wyatt was put in an impossible situation and he made a choice to do the right thing. 

So once again, Lucy stopped outside of Wyatt’s door and before she could change her mind, she found herself knocking lightly.


End file.
